Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

Chapter Twenty-Two

In June Rhett had a birthday party for Scarlett. He invited Melanie and Ashley; Randall and Martha Dunn; Ross and Justine Bateman; and Maybelle and Rene Picard and their children. It was a late afternoon party. Scarlett knew the date of her birthday but because of her amnesia it wasn't foremost in her brain. Rhett wasn't even having the party on her actual birthday. He was having it on the Saturday before her birthday. He and Scarlett were on the veranda talking about the heat when the Wilkes arrived, then the Batemans, then the Dunns and finally the Picards. Every time a family arrived; they would tell Scarlett 'Happy Birthday.' There were a dozen children running around the lawn. Pork and Joseph were out there setting up all the games Rhett had gotten. Suddenly Scarlett realized that her husband had thrown her a birthday party. The adults sat on the veranda and enjoyed the shade. When Justine asked Scarlett how old she was Scarlett said, "Twenty-seven. You may not believe it Justine but I have known my husband all of my adult life. Him and Melly." Rhett had the cook fix barbeque with all the sides. As they were eating Scarlett said, "One of the best parts of being married is that one can actually eat at social occasions."

Rhett said, "If I recall, my dear, you ate at the barbeque at the Wilkes like a field hand," Here Rhett paused and everyone laughed, "but not a one of your suitors walked away. You were so bewitching."

Scarlett looked at Rhett and could feel the memory at the edges of her brain. For a minute she wanted to grab it because it seemed to be a sweet memory. She pushed it away because she didn't know what hurtful thing might come with that memory. She smiled at him. She said, "Are you saying I'm not bewitching now?"

Rhett smiled and said, "You will always be bewitching. Does anyone want more food?" Ashley could see the love between them and thought, "Maybe she did want to be dominated. No matter what anyone says I know Butler beat my sweet Scarlet up. I will stay away because I don't want to be responsible for her getting beaten again.' Yet he was sad because he would miss the hero worship in her eyes.

In August Rhett told Scarlett he had some business to take care of in New Orleans and that they would be leaving in three days on Thursday. Scarlett asked, "Did I normally travel with you?"

Rhett said, "No but I want you and the entire family to go with me from now on."

Scarlett said, "Alright. We will take Pansy with us."

Rhett said, "I will introduce you to my ward."

Scarlett said, "You have a ward?"

Rhett said, "Yes. After I was kicked out, I went to New Orleans. When I got to New Orleans, I met another young man, Lloyd Roberts, who had also been kicked out of his home. He had been there for about six months. He had a place to stay and knew his way around the saloons and brothels. We met in a saloon. He was playing cards and I was sitting there watching. After a while he left the game and came over to me and told me he was going to buy me a meal. He taught me how to cheat at poker and live on the edge. We played cards together and cheated other players. One of us would stand behind other players and signal whether they had good hands are not. We traveled to California and mined for gold. While we were there, he got himself married. We ran a general store together and played cards at night. One night while we were playing poker and cheating a drunk caught us. He stabbed me with a knife and then turned around and stabbed Lloyd. The drunk stabbed Lloyd in the heart and me in the gut. Well you know where the scar is." He smiled a mischievous smile. "Lloyd died right away and I was near death for about two weeks. I had stayed at the saloon because it was too risky to move me. When I got back to the room at the cheap hotel, his wife, Eva, had her bags packed and walked out of the room leaving me with the child. No matter what I said to her she didn't respond. I learned later she had become a whore and had died in a barroom brawl. The boy's name was Matthew and I liked him a lot. I knew a couple in New Orleans who were childless and I took him to them. They knew Lloyd also. I helped them with the expenses. I have paid for him to go to Tulane and he will be going to medical school in a couple of years."

Scarlett said, "Have you ever reached out to his family?"

Rhett said, "Yes. They wanted nothing to do with him."

Scarlett said, "How sad. He is lucky you took care of him. The couple is lucky too."

Rhett said, "They love him so much and Matthew loves them So everyone is happy."

Scarlett said, "I didn't know this before, did I?"

Rhett said, "No. I didn't share very much with you before. Partly because you weren't interested and partly because I didn't want to share something this personal with you."

Scarlett smiled and said, "I'm glad you want to now and I didn't even have to dig it out of you."

Rhett said, "I get to show you the city all over again. I get to see that look on your face when you take your first bite of crayfish etouffee. We are going to have fun. We will go dancing but not every night this time." Rhett kissed her and stood up. He left the parlor. Scarlett wondered where he was going. Probably to the nursery, he sure did like to play with his children.

They went to New Orleans on Thursday. They left at night so the children could sleep for most of the trip. Rhett had gotten them a private car. The trip took eighteen hours but the children were asleep for most of it. After everyone woke up Rhett played games with them in the dining area of the car. She stood there and looked at her family and felt so happy.

Nick had sprouted teeth and Scarlett weaned him off the breast because it really hurt now.

Rhett arranged for them to stay at a different hotel than they had stayed at when they came here for their honeymoon. He didn't want something to trigger a memory and her get her memories back. Maybe he shouldn't have brought her here but he couldn't leave her behind anymore. He was that man. The one that couldn't be separated from his wife. If someone had told him before he met Scarlett that he would become the man he had become he would have laughed in their face and told them to lay off the spirits. What's more amazing to him was that he was happy being that man.

They had a lovely time in New Orleans. They did different things than they had on their honeymoon but they did go out several times during the week they were there. They went dancing several times and Scarlett even drank a couple of glasses of champagne now that she wasn't nursing Nick. He didn't look up any of his old friends. He was a gentleman now and he didn't want them to sully his wife with their crudeness. He wished he could have gotten a picture of her face when she took her first bite of crayfish etouffee. She had loved it so much when they were here on their honeymoon and she loved it now. He made everyone try all the different foods available in New Orleans. He loved everyone's expression when they tasted the candy praline or the beignets. When he introduced Scarlett to Matthew, he was happy. They both took an instant liking to each other. They talked for several hours and Scarlett invited him to Atlanta. Rhett was away for several hours each day to take care of his business. He had suggested they go out while he was away but they never did. Scarlett told him she was afraid of getting lost. Rhett was happy with them staying in the hotel. The hotel had something called a swimming pool. Scarlett bought everyone bathing suits and they spent their free time in the pool. There was a man at the pool who gave free swimming lessons. Rhett didn't think anything about it until on their last day there after concluding his business he joined them at the swimming pool. The swimming teacher was an attractive young man in his twenties who was definitely trying to get to know his wife better. The look of relief that passed over her face when she saw him abated his jealousy. She quickly swam over to where he was standing. He reached down and hoisted her out of the water. He knew he was being juvenile but he wrapped her up in her bath towel. He took Nick from Wade and told everyone it was time to get out of the pool. There was some complaining but they got out and wrapped themselves in their towels and climbed the stairs to their suite.

After they got to their room Scarlett took off her bathing suit and put her robe on and said, "You know I love you."

Rhett had never been a jealous man but he was now. He should be confident in her love but he was even more afraid of losing her now. Rhett smiled and said, "I know. I love you too." He was not going to acknowledge that he was jealous. Scarlett knew Rhett was jealous but he didn't need to worry she was crazy in love with him.

Everyone had a good time in New Orleans and they took the night train back to Atlanta. On the train after everyone was asleep Rhett gave her a ruby necklace that he had bought. It was beautiful. Rhett said, "I want you to have a souvenir of our trip."

Scarlett smiled at him and said, "You are so good to me."